HELP! NOT SO MUCH RULING THE WAVES AS SINKING BENEATH THEM!

Hello to you all in Bulgaria.. Well, as I'm sure you'll have heard, this year, just about everything about UK living has plummeted straight ‘round the ‘U’ bend. Dependent upon type, food costs are anything from 8% to 40% up on those of 2007, petrol has become a luxury item, our politics and the idiots involved are nothing short of ludicrous, and the weather ..what can I say? ..Throughout the UK., August 2008 saw the highest levels of precipitation ever recorded, (approx 150 years,) and to accompany this, gale force winds. Additionally, the meteorologists are telling us, not only are we lumbered with a continuation of this, Climate Change will almost certainly render future UK “Summers” to be similarly cancelled. Official now, also, the UK is in recession and economists are agreeing the UK., with its economic ‘Housing’ dependency, is in for a far worse time than any of our sister EU countries.

My lovely mum, (the last person about whom I cared,) died aged 86 on Jan 18th this year and I’ve now got a few inheritance quid in the bank. It’s now my intention to depart the UK and set myself up in Bulgaria. Not as an investment, not as a holiday home, but somewhere where I can renovate a small house, become accepted by my neighbours, grow my own veg ., and live frugally on the interest of my invested inheritance. I’m friendly enough, but a bit of a recluse and the prospect of starting a new life well away from the exponentially depressive state of the UK is just about all that’s keeping me sane.

So, not one iota of good news to bring you from your homeland but, instead, a serious request: In “Spring” of 2009, (we didn’t have one this year, and I’m not exaggerating,) I plan to spend 2 to 3 months in Bulgaria. To do this, I’m seeking an Expat or an English speaking Bulgarian person/family with whom I can stay B&B style. I could stay in a hotel, but apart from the costs, living with people in their own place will provide me with a far greater insight in regard to ‘real’ life in Bulgaria. I’ll be driving myself to Bulgaria and during my visit, I’ll be seeking an area and eventually a property to buy, renovate and move into.

If anyone can either offer me accommodation or supply me with contact details of someone who can, you’ll be ever in my debt. If I had some idea of accommodation costs this would be an added bonus.

My good wishes to you all and, should you ever feel homesick, a word to the wise: It might once have been ..but nowadays, Great Britain ..isn’t. Laurie.